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Sound digital expansion

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Great news (especially for the west country)..... I kinda guessed... what with the switchoff date on 17th. I am guessing that this will follow with the other rumour that Bauer was not going to add any more stations to SD unless it resolved its lack of national coverage, so will be getting more stations

So why wait until the end of the year. It was obvious that SD was launched on the back of the BBC's last DAB roll out, so could we be seeing another DAB roll out

I still think it was more likely TWG (now owned by News International) that pushed for this - They've invested a fair bit of money in their stations (TalkRadio,TalkSport2 and Virgin) and must have wanted better coverage

Is there room for any more stations on Sound Digital? maybe one or two DAB+ stations.

The Government can begin the process of setting a analogue switch off date when DAB reaches the 50% milestone on Thursday but I don't think we'll be getting an actual date for a while, and the BBC and Global are against a switch off.

Yes, there is room for one more DAB+ channel (possibly the new station "the hits"). But Bauer could take the move and make a channel like Mellow Magic DAB+ and use the space created for "the hits", "KISS FRESH", "magic soul", who knows, but it does match the rumour

The Government can begin the process of setting a analogue switch off date when DAB reaches the 50% milestone on Thursday but I don't think we'll be getting an actual date for a while, and the BBC and Global are against a switch off.

Margot James is giving a speech tomorrow at the Radiocentre conference. If there isn't a date the local DAB multiplex network will never be completed, so she could declare a date of 2025 to get this resolved. It's far enough into the future to avoid any controversy.

these are the list of new transmitters from ITU. however there are 15 here, 2 are listed as modified. 19 was mentioned at the conference. There is a new list being released the first week of June (info from another post)

these are the list of new transmitters from ITU. however there are 15 here, 2 are listed as modified. 19 was mentioned at the conference. There is a new list being released the first week of June (info from another post)

ASHFORD...

My local, Bincombe Hill, was on the original list of cleared TXs and looks very likely for the new rollout. Stockland Hill was on the list as well but doesn't look like it will be used yet.

these are the list of new transmitters from ITU. however there are 15 here, 2 are listed as modified. 19 was mentioned at the conference. There is a new list being released the first week of June (info from another post)

As I mentioned above, several of those are listed both on MB21 and Frequency Finder as already in operation. Cale Cross House, Cathcart, Doncaster Shaftesbury House, Ely Water Tower, Glasgow West Central, Market Drayton. Check any of those and they are shown as already carrying SDL.

Some maybe all of the sites listed as being in operation for SDL are low-power fillers to overcome adjacent channel interference to existing SDL signals when new local multiplex transmitters were switched on.

Some maybe all of the sites listed as being in operation for SDL are low-power fillers to overcome adjacent channel interference to existing SDL signals when new local multiplex transmitters were switched on.

Yes all those I've listed are very low power, so that might be the case. Are they able to put sites like this into service and then apply for clearance retrospectively?

According to the list on Frequency Finder, there are currently 53 sites in service for SDL compared to 45 at launch, and that includes the six I mentioned above which are all very low power. I assume we can discount these six and that they are not amongst the 19 new ones. So that must mean several from the original list of cleared sites as well as the remainder of the ones on the ITU list from January.

In East Anglia I would expect these to be ones that are used from the original list....?
COLCHESTER UNIVERSITY (MODIFIED)
GREAT YARMOUTH
MADINGLEY
MASSINGHAM
OULTON
PUTTOCKS HILL
STOKE HOLY CROSS (MODIFIED)
SUDBURY
WARREN HEATH

and just these from the ITU list.....? (Colchester and Stoke Holy Cross on both)
ELY
MENDLESHAM

In East Anglia I would expect these to be ones that are used from the original list....?
COLCHESTER UNIVERSITY (MODIFIED)
GREAT YARMOUTH
MADINGLEY
MASSINGHAM
OULTON
PUTTOCKS HILL
STOKE HOLY CROSS (MODIFIED)
SUDBURY
WARREN HEATH

and just these from the ITU list.....? (Colchester and Stoke Holy Cross on both)
ELY
MENDLESHAM

As Spot mentioned, it also isn't clear whether some of these 'new' transmitters may be power upgrades to the recent gap fillers. This would be a cheap way to increase coverage in such holes where most of the required infrastructure is already in place.

In East Anglia I would expect these to be ones that are used from the original list....?
COLCHESTER UNIVERSITY (MODIFIED)
GREAT YARMOUTH
MADINGLEY
MASSINGHAM
OULTON
PUTTOCKS HILL
STOKE HOLY CROSS (MODIFIED)
SUDBURY
WARREN HEATH

and just these from the ITU list.....? (Colchester and Stoke Holy Cross on both)
ELY
MENDLESHAM

As Spot mentioned, it also isn't clear whether some of these 'new' transmitters may be power upgrades to the recent gap fillers. This would be a cheap way to increase coverage in such holes where most of the required infrastructure is already in place.

Regardless, by any measure, this expansion is good news.

Exactly ........It doesn't leave many of the 19 for everywhere else!
Oulton could be used for Norfolk/Suffolk coast and Great Yarmouth dropped? Madingley could be dropped and Ely powered up ?

If Mendlesham can be used at sufficient power it will go a fair distance. I live on the eastern outskirts of Norwich and can get the Suffolk mux which is transmitted at just over 2KW from Mendlesham, though admittedly I've got a clear view over open countryside to the south.

Similarly I think the north west of Norfolk around Kings Lynn can already get a signal, presumably a combination of Peterborough and Belmont. According to Frequency Finder, Peterborough transmits SDL at 8.7KW compared to 5KW for the BBC and D1.

There are blue bits on the map in the Bath area suggesting that TX may be one of the new ones. As said above I think KDH is being a tad optimistic about the number of TXs in Anglia. I think the ITU list is the more likely!

If Mendlesham can be used at sufficient power it will go a fair distance. I live on the eastern outskirts of Norwich and can get the Suffolk mux which is transmitted at just over 2KW from Mendlesham, though admittedly I've got a clear view over open countryside to the south.

Similarly I think the north west of Norfolk around Kings Lynn can already get a signal, presumably a combination of Peterborough and Belmont. According to Frequency Finder, Peterborough transmits SDL at 8.7KW compared to 5KW for the BBC and D1.

If Mendlesham and Sudbury are transmitting at high power, Puttocks Hill may not be needed either?

There are blue bits on the map in the Bath area suggesting that TX may be one of the new ones. As said above I think KDH is being a tad optimistic about the number of TXs in Anglia. I think the ITU list is the more likely!

There's only 4 in East Anglia on the ITU list ............. Stoke Holy Cross and Mendlesham would have to be positively belting out the signal to cover the area as shown on yesterday's map? It has to be a combination of the 2 lists ??

I wonder if the Wrekin will be added, it was on the cleared list and it does leave a bit of a hole in the midlands particularly on the M54. and possibly M5/6 i know it wasn't mentioned but i do remember channel 5 suddenly adding it as an analogue tv mast when they realised that it improved reception in the west mids . not sure if that really applies to radio

Looking at that picture of the map on the RadioToday site, it does look like there’s something going on in the Hereford/Shropshire area - looks like some holes being filled. Mind you, that map rather suggests that they’ve already got good coverage across those two counties - you can see where the Wales/England border runs - and that would be optimistic to say the least!